


Tuesday

by kingsatanthegay



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Blood is mentioned, M/M, Soulmates, Surgery, Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, not graphically tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 01:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13776882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingsatanthegay/pseuds/kingsatanthegay





	Tuesday

“Hunk! Look! Another one!” Lance gestured excitedly with his arm. 

“Dude, I can’t see unless you stop moving.” 

“Look! Look look look!” He thrust his arm under his friend’s nose, proudly displaying the words engraved in his skin. “They wrote down another appointment! And it’s close this time!”

Hunk grinned almost as wide as Lance after reading the reminder. “That’s so awesome, man! God, you’re so excited, _I’m_ getting excited!”

They took a moment more to squeal and jump and hug, then Lance sped off to the computer. “I gotta find out where this place is! Can’t be showing up to the wrong appointment, now.”

Hunk watched the screen from over his shoulder. “Oh, hey! That’s, like, a fifteen minute drive from here.”

Lance swivelled in his chair, barely contained emotions shining in his eyes. “Hunk, do you have any idea what this means?”

At the same time, they both said:

“I’m gonna meet my soulmate!”

“You’re gonna meet your soulmate!

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Shiro, I already told you: you don’t have to come with me, I’ll be _fine_.”

Keith was in the middle of packing his bag; he’d be staying in a hotel for a week after his surgery. Getting surgery was something he never thought he’d be able to do, but somehow he’d saved up enough money for it. He couldn’t wait. 

“I worry, Keith,” his brother sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “I’ve done my fair share of research, too, so I know about the recovery process. You’ll need someone to be there for you.”

“I didn’t need anyone growing up, why would I need someone now?” The words slipped out before he could stop them. Guilt bubbled up in his chest as hurt crossed his brother’s expression even though they both knew he didn’t mean it. 

“Shiro, I’m sorry, I didn’t—” he started. 

“No, I know you didn’t.” Shiro waved away his apology and grabbed his own duffel bag. “But I’m coming with you no matter what you say. Besides, I already bought the plane ticket.”

Keith nodded. He knew Shiro was right. Going under the knife was different than pulling your own weight; you couldn’t do anything afterwards. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loud his voice would crack. “I really mean it, Shiro.”

Next thing he knew, strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him to his older brother’s chest. “Hey, I’m happy to do it. How many times do I have to tell you?”

Keith squeezed tighter instead of replying. 

They had to separate eventually, and Keith tried to be as nondescript as possible when he wiped his eyes. 

* * *

 

Lance was restless. He never could sit still, but the added anticipation of meeting his soulmate wiggled its way down to his legs and kept them in constant motion: jiggling his knee, rolling his ankle, tapping his foot, knocking his thighs together. 

Every time someone entered the room, he stared at their right arm, trying in vain to spot the mark that would be there. 

A man that appeared slightly older than Lance—who, might he add, was _built_ —and a boy around his own age walked through the doors next, his long hair ink black and his eyes galaxy purple. Lance followed the line of his shoulder down his arm and to his wrist. 

Then, finally: 

_Dr. G_

_XXXX_ _Alderbridge_ _Way_

_Sept. 26_

Lance shot out of his seat before his brain had the chance to catch up with his body. He hadn’t even fully registered the mark’s existence by the time he was in front of the boy, and so he stood there for a second, confused purple irises trained on his face, as he figured out what the heck to do next. 

He’d had a plan. Hadn’t he? So why couldn’t he remember it? 

“Uh…” God, even his _voice_ was beautiful. 

Instead of actually saying anything, Lance raised his right arm. He must’ve looked _real_ intelligent, standing six inches away from a complete stranger with his arm in the air. 

The boy didn’t react at first, but the man with him let out a soft, “Oh.”

At this, the boy fixed his attention on Lance’s arm. Blinked. Once. Twice. 

Silence. 

“I think I need the washroom.”

Then they were alone. 

And Lance still had his arm in the air. 

Realizing this, he lowered it slowly. 

“Is there a Keith Kogane? Dr. G is ready for you.”

The boy—Keith—shifted his eyes to focus on a nurse behind Lance. He nodded. “I’ll… be there in a second.” His gaze fixed back on Lance, who was gaping. 

“Oh, I’m keeping you from your appointment, aren’t I? Sorry, this is probably important…”

“No!” Keith exclaimed, reaching for Lance as he started to leave. “I mean, yes, it’s super important but… Please don’t leave. Um, I’ll be out in a couple hours, but I’ll be… drugged. Like a lot.” He glanced to the ceiling, deep in thought. “Uh, let’s see… Tomorrow I’ll be in a helluva lot of pain, probably the next day, too… Uh, how’s Tuesday?” He cringed, most likely thinking about how Lance had come all this way only for Keith to make him wait another few days. 

But what’s another few days when he’s been waiting his whole life?

“Yeah! I’d like that.” They exchanged small smiles before Lance popped the big question: “So, do you have, like, cancer or something, because I didn’t actually read up on this place…”

Keith’s face flushed red. “I’ll explain Tuesday. It’ll take kind of a long time.”

“Oh, OK.” Lance was nodding. Too much nodding. Stop nodding. 

“Keith Kogane? Your appointment is starting.”

“I… should probably get to that.”

“Yeah, good idea.” Neither of them moved. “I’ll see you Tuesday?”

Keith hummed and nodded. He finally headed over to the nurse, glancing back at Lance, who was, of course, still standing there watching. 

When the door shut behind Keith, a deep voice startled Lance out of his musings. 

“So. You’re my brother’s soulmate, are you?”

Lance spun around on his heel and had to tip his head back to see the man’s face. And he thought he’d looked built from across the room. 

He gulped and did the one thing he could think of: he saluted. “Yessir.”

Human Mountain burst out laughing at that, removing his hands from his hips and clapping one on Lance’s shoulder. “I’m just kidding. I’m Shiro. It’s nice to meet you.”

Lance shook his hand with some hesitation. Shiro seemed nice enough, but…

Suddenly he was yanked forward into a crushing bear hug. Honestly, what was this guy? He put Hunk’s hugs to shame. 

“Seriously though, if you hurt Keith…” Shiro didn’t need to finish his sentence. Really he didn’t. 

Lance was shaken to the core, and he bid Shiro goodbye and got his quiznak out of that hospital before the man could dive in for more. 

* * *

 

Tuesday. 

It was finally Tuesday. 

And Lance didn’t know what to wear. 

He’d never had this problem before; usually he threw on an outfit and it fit, but today everything he put on felt _wrong._ He knew he’d already met Keith, but he still felt like he had to make a good impression on him. 

He settled on a blue baseball tee and jeans. Keith hadn’t appeared to be all that into fashion from what he’d seen. And they _were_ soulmates, after all, so obviously Keith wouldn’t mind. 

He hoped. 

The drive to the hotel was filled with nervous tapping and off-key singing. 

The man at the front desk dialled Keith and Shiro’s room and then sent him up the elevator. 

His skin felt like it was buzzing. 

The door was cracked open when he got there, but he knocked just in case. 

Shiro appeared in the sliver of space between the door and the wall and waved him in. 

“He’s just in bed. Not sleeping, unsurprisingly.” The last bit was muttered under his breath. 

“Is he, like… OK?”

“Aside from the pain. But don’t worry, I’ve got him on all kinds o’ good stuff.”

Lance didn’t know how to feel about the fact that he was meeting his soulmate for the second time—and he’d be heavily drugged. 

“Uh, right.”

Keith was propped up against several pillows and had a container on either side, each half-filled with a fluid that was suspiciously dark red. 

“Hey, Keith,” he greeted gently, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. 

Keith rolled his eyes. “Ugh, what did he tell you? Shiro, stop telling people I’m dying.”

“I’m not!”

“Stop making it sound that way then!”

Shiro raised his hands in surrender and made for the door again. “We’re almost out of ice, I’m just gonna go grab some.”

For the second time, they were alone. 

Keith sighed and rubbed his forehead. “We don’t even use ice.” Keith glanced down at himself. “Well. I guess I could find some use for it.”

“Does it hurt?” Stupid question, Lance, of _course_ it hurts!

Keith scoffed, then flinched. “Yeah. I mean, I just had surgery. I’ve got this pain medicine, though, so it’s manageable.” He held up the bottle that was on the nightstand. 

Lance squinted at the label. “Grape flavoured?”

“Yeah, well,” Keith mumbled, bashful, “it was the only one they had that wasn’t a pill. I can’t swallow pills. I can still swallow other things, though.”

The two exchanged a wide-eyed glance. 

“Uh—I mean—like—food? Not—y’know…”

Lance chuckled to himself, deciding to have mercy on the poor boy. 

“What kind of surgery again?”

“Oh, uh…” That red flush had barely receded, and there it was again, back in full bloom. Keith cleared his throat. 

“Listen, you don’t have to tell me if—”

Keith interrupted him. “No, I want to. Just. Let me collect my thoughts and word them.”

Lance nodded. He could be patient. 

After some time, Keith took a breath and open his eyes to stare at his hands, resting in his lap. “I had top surgery.” 

Lance made a “go on” gesture because he wasn’t sure what that entailed. He saw that it was on the top half of Keith’s body, but that could mean lots of things.

“It’s, uh, to remove breast tissue. Because I am transgender.” He spoke slowly, as if forcing the words from his throat. 

Lance hummed. 

Keith finally glanced up at him. “That’s it? _'Hm?'_ "

Lance nodded. “Yup.”

Keith’s mouth opened and closed, opened and closed. 

“OK, no need to impersonate a goldfish, Keith. I just don’t know what to say. What do I say? All I can think of is ‘Chill, dude.’ And that didn’t seem worth saying.”

Keith decided to keep his mouth closed and squinted at Lance in confusion. 

“I mean, I don’t need anyone to say anything when I tell them I’m bi, and I didn’t say much when my friend told me she was trans and gay, so…” Lance trailed off with a shrug, not meeting Keith’s eyes. Maybe he should’ve said something. He definitely should have said something. Great, now Keith would hate him forever. That’s just wonderful. 

But Keith was laughing. Softly, barely audible, but still laughing. “You…” He shook his head, at a loss for words. 

Lance smiled, pleased. “So.” He gestured at the red-filled containers. “What are those?”

Keith followed his gaze. “Those are drains. They drain away excess fluid and blood, so my chest doesn’t get all puffy and infected."

Lance nodded along. 

“Hey, are you comfortable? You’re sitting on the very edge, do you maybe wanna come up here?”

Keith was blushing and not meeting Lance’s eyes. He smiled to himself. 

“Yeah. I think I will.”

Careful not to jostle Keith or his drains, he hoisted himself onto the bed and settled next to the pile of pillows. 

He learned that Keith liked to ask questions, but didn’t like answering them. That was OK, though; Lance didn’t mind doing the talking for now. 

After all, they’d have a long time together. 

 


End file.
